Fawlty Towers

The Cube, Wodonga

Thu, Fri, Sat October 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 2016

Synopsis:

First presented on British TV in 1975, with a second series appearing in 1979, written by former Monty Python’s Flying Circus performers John Cleese with Connie Booth, the show has remained one of the most popular English TV comedy series of all time.

Witness the antics of the “ageing, brilliantine stick-insect,” possibly the World’s worst Hotel owner, Basil Fawlty, as he rails against the inconvenience of paying guests, competent staff, the language barrier and Sybil, in three of the best episodes from this Classic TV series.

Diplomacy is Basil’s middle name as he strives to meet his self-imposed directive, “don’t mention the war,” in The Germans.

How will Basil ever cope with a deaf guest who refuses to turn on her hearing aid in Communication Problems?

And discover Basil’s culinary skills (if he can ever track down the elusive Waldorf) and watch helplessly as he clashes with a formidable American in Waldorf Salad.

Add to the mix Sybil – Basil’s “overbearing” wife; Polly the conscientious University-student housemaid; and Manuel, a waiter whose grasp on the English language would be smoother if he simply grabbed a live tiger by the tail; and you have all the necessary ingredients for a hilarious evening’s entertainment!

Director Alex Gibbs says, “Basil Fawlty is one of the great comic characters of all time. Imagine the owner/manager of a seaside Hotel who loathes the job, the guests and his staff.”

“Then the sheer genius of pairing him with an eager to please waiter with just enough knowledge of English to get himself into a lot of trouble, and you have the basis for one of the funniest shows ever to grace the small screen.”

“And then the cast is brilliantly balanced with the cool common sense of Polly and the gentler sarcasm of Basil’s long suffering wife Sibyl.”

“Only twelve episodes of Fawlty Towers were ever made and so the audience will get to see a quarter of all the shows in one evening.”

“The three episodes have been carefully chosen to feature many of the Fawlty Towers favorite guest characters and give a good flavor of the breadth of the comedy showcased by both series.”

Producer Miguel de Oliveira says, “For me this has been a project 10 years in the making. I have always wanted to bring Fawlty Towers to the stage in Albury Wodonga and it is exciting to be able to turn that dream into reality.”

“Many of the scenes and even the lines from the show have become absolute classics which should be familiar to many in the audience.”

Cast:

Basil Fawlty COLM COX

Sybil Fawlty COLETTE QUIN

Polly KENDALL ALEXANDRA KING

Manuel MATT LANE

Major Gowan CLEVELAND SHAW

Mr Hamilton SHANE DOUTHIE

Mrs Hamilton HELEN LOCKHART

Mrs Richards ROSE SEXTON

Miss Tibbs SARAH DUDLEY

Miss Gatsby RACHEL HUNTINGTON

Terry SCOTT BISHOP

Nurse Cowling MARY O’CONNELL

Doc and Mr Firkins ANDREW BAILY

Mrs Wilson JENNY CARTLEDGE

Mrs Sharp, Mrs Arrad TANYA HARVEY

Mr Shard, Driver JAMES BOWEN

German, Mr Arrad JACOB MCCROHAN

German, Mr Johnstone ANDREW WIGHTON

German, Mrs Hare CAITLIN BRICE

German, Miss Gurke EMILY STRACHAN

German, Mr Kerr KEN PULLEN

German, Mr Mackintosh NICK POPOVICH

Mr Yardley TIM VAN VEEN

Mr Thurston JAMES STRACHAN

Mr Libson ASH JUSTIN

Mrs Johnstone RO MCGILLIVRAY

Director (notes):

It’s always been part of my life.

I remember, as a child, rolling around on the floor laughing at Fawlty Towers.

I know this sounds like an exaggeration but I swear it’s true.

A Fawlty episode on TV once brought me out of an otherwise impenetrable sulk on a family holiday to a caravan park. My future in-laws allegedly decided to allow me into the family when I called their daughter ‘my little nest of vipers’ the fiest time I met them. So logically, when the opportunity arose to bring the brightest shining jewel in the crown of British comedy to the stage, I leapt at it faster than a bat up a nightdress.

Nnow with this truly fantastic cast and crew (seriously, I love you all), it’s time to show you what we’ve got, and I think it’s something special.

It is my absolute pleasure to bring you Fatty Owls – Live at The Cube, which I dedicate to my father, on whom I blame my entire sense of humour and to the memory of my grandmother. She loved Manuel. ALEX GIBBS